Best marathons and half marathons to enter in 2024
Marathon and half marathon running is becoming incredibly popular and as 2024 gets underway, there’s no better time to tick off your next event or complete your first ever! According to Strava’s 2022 Year in Sport, the amount of people who completed a marathon in 2022 was double that of 2021. This year already, we’ve seen our highest ever interest in high-profile events such as the BMW Berlin Marathon, as runners look to smash their targets in 2024. If you’re still deciding what event to take part in, here’s our top recommendations…
What is a good half marathon to take part in?
Half marathons are a great opportunity to run in some of the best locations in the world and begin your running journey, or set a personal best time. Here’s our favourite events from our event calendar…
Paris Half Marathon (Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris) – March 3 2024
The Paris Half Marathon, also known as the Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris, is the stand-out event at the beginning of a busy running period in March, taking place on March 3 2024. One of the most popular half marathons in mainland Europe, this fast, flat course takes in some of Paris’ most beautiful sights and received over 40,000 registrations last year.
Centred around the Place de la Bastille, one of Paris’ most iconic locations, the course straddles the beautiful Seine river and throughout the journey you will notice a number of instantly recognisable locations. The sight of the incredible Notre Dame rising out of the Paris skyline offers some much-needed motivation as you power towards the finish line, and the vociferous support from Parisians along the route makes this event a great occasion.
Marathon Tours & Travel offer 2 to 5-night packages in Paris at a hotel perfectly situated to the Place de la Bastille and Gare de Lyon station, making for a very convenient location on race day, as well as for seeing the sights and sounds of Paris. Our runners stay in the Hotel Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon, a conveniently-located hotel just 10 minutes from the start and finish area, allowing you to to begin and end your day in perfect fashion.
Berlin Half Marathon (Generali Berlin Half Marathon) – April 7 2024
If you missed out on entry to the Berlin Marathon, why not try the Generali Berlin Half Marathon? This incredible event continues to take in the addictive buzz of Germany’s capital, taking place on a course that allows you to strive for that personal best! Last year, over 30,000 people took part in the Generali Berlin Half Marathon, meaning you can enjoy the freedom of the roads whilst still taking in the applause from Berlin’s dedicated spectators!
The half marathon is a celebration and festival of events, with excitable support and wide roads making for one of the most enjoyable half marathon experiences in the running calendar. If you need further persuasion to choose Berlin as your half marathon location, read our Berlin destination guide.
Our Generali Berlin Half Marathon packages offer a perfect, central location close to the bustling Kurfurstendamm and just five minutes from the Berlin Zoologischer Garten station, easily accessible from Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Runners stay at our hotel perfectly positioned for race day, with the 2km and 11km spectator areas of the half marathon route also only 10 minutes’ walk away and the race start/finish area 25 minutes away.
New York City Half Marathon (The United Airlines NYC Half) – March 17 2024
The US is home to some of the most iconic and important marathons and half marathons in the world, including the Boston Marathon and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, two staples of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. Alongside those events, the United Airlines New York City Half Marathon is one of the most famous and popular half marathons in the world.
New York city is at the top of any travel lover’s bucket list and the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon takes in some of the most important and beautiful locations in this great city. Starting in Brooklyn, the course crosses the impressive Manhattan Bridge, passing through Times Square and finishing in Central Park, allowing you to see some of the most iconic cityscapes in the world whilst completing the incredible achievement of a half marathon.
Taking place on St Patrick’s Day, the United Airlines NYC Half is a festival of celebrations as this iconic city comes together to celebrate two major events on the same day. Marathon Tours & Travel are official tour operators for this event and have a number of packages available to runners wanting to become one of the 24,000 entrants taking part in this year’s event.
What is a good marathon to take part in?
If you have big goals for 2024 or you’re fancying a marathon that you haven’t previously considered, these marathons also offer a fantastic opportunity to run in great locations and achieve an incredible sporting achievement. Here’s our favourite events from our event calendar…
Paris Marathon (Schneider Electric Paris de Marathon) – April 7 2024
Taking place just over a month after the Paris Half Marathon (Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris), the Schneider Electric Paris de Marathon offers another superb opportunity to run in the Olympic city in 2024. Paris will be abuzz with hype and activity as it prepares to host its first major events ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Schneider Electric Paris de Marathon is one of the most popular European marathons in the calendar, with over 60,000 entrants taking place each year. In addition to beautiful landmarks that are seen on the Paris Half Marathon (Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris) course, the Schneider Electric Paris de Marathon starts and finishes on the incredible Champs Elysees, providing all the motivation you need to complete your marathon journey.
Marathon Tours & Travel offer 2 to 5-night packages in Paris at a fabulous hotel situated just off the Champs Elysées and within easy access to the main tourist attractions of Paris. The start line is only 500 metres away and the finish line is approximately 20 minutes walk away, making our hotel the perfect choice for runners and companions!
Rome Marathon – March 17 2024
The Rome Marathon is a great opportunity to race in one of the most historic cities in the world, whilst also being an easily-accessible race allowing runners the freedom to run at their own pace. Taking place on 17 March 2024, this race offers a nice alternative to the United Airlines New York City Half Marathon if you are looking to race a marathon instead.
The Rome Marathon gives you the chance to run through history, soaking in all Rome has to offer along the way. Starting from Fori Imperiali, passing in front of the Vittoriano, you will see the chariot-racing stadium the Circo Massimo, before enjoying the breeze of Lungotevere alley that runs along the river Tiber.
In addition to these beautiful sights, our hotel partner is located just a short walk away from the breathtaking Colosseum, as well as being equally close to the start and finish line of the race. You can also find many Rome’s historical sights such as the Roman Forum, the Palatine and Piazza Venezia within an easy walk. Take a look at our Rome Marathon packages.
adidas Manchester Marathon – April 14 2024
Come and join us in our incredible city and take part in the adidas Manchester Marathon 2024. The adidas Manchester Marathon takes place in April and is the perfect warm-up for the TCS London Marathon, with the UK becoming the centre of the running universe over a two-week period.
The adidas Manchester Marathon course passes through some of the city’s most iconic areas, including along the bustling Deansgate and the gorgeous St Peter’s Square. It’s a great race to run for sports fans, as you go past Old Trafford football stadium before you finish at the nearby cricket stadium!
The adidas Manchester Marathon is a great opportunity to test yourself on a challenging but rewarding course, taking in a popular UK marathon without the tough lottery of guaranteeing entry. Our expertly-curated adidas Manchester Marathon packages demonstrate our expertise and love of this great city, with stays at some of the best hotels in the city and the opportunity to add extensions on to your trip to enhance your time in Manchester.
Preparing for a half marathon or half marathon this year? Take a look at our training camps, helping you to get prepared for whichever event you’re taking part in. Still deciding on which event to take part in? Take a look at our multitude of half marathon and marathon events available in 2024, or get in touch to find out more…